Jamie Holt Aguilar-Rodríguez
WRITER · DIRECTOR · STORYTELLER
Jamie Holt Aguilar-Rodríguez is writer and director based in Los Angeles.
Her stories center big characters with big flaws and big dreams, defying broken systems and societal expectations as they find their courage, confidence, and self-acceptance.
Jamie and her husband/writing partner, David Aguilar-Rodríguez recently won the top prize in Harvard’s screenwriting competition. Their script, King of the B’s, took home the award for BEST PILOT and the duo was named Harvard’s MOST STAFFABLE WRITERS.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Raised by a watercolor artist dad and an Episcopal youth minister mom in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jamie was immersed in creativity from a young age. But her teen years were rough. As a punk-rock brainiac in a fat body, she was an outcast among her wealthy southern debutante classmates. Facing bullying and a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Jamie turned to writing and the theater to navigate growing up “weird.” She found her tribe in the creative problem-solving competition Odyssey of the Mind, her International Baccalaureate high school’s drama department, and the local community theater scene.
This journey, from trying to fit in to proudly breaking the mold, has become the bedrock of Jamie’s writing. She is drawn to stories of strong, unconventional characters who defy societal expectations and embrace their individuality. Her narratives weave together her own experiences with themes of body acceptance, gender expression, rebellion, belonging, and the transformative power of self-love. Her work celebrates misfits, underdogs, and rebels, showcasing how their struggles become their greatest strength.
In college, Jamie initially pursued acting, but soon discovered her passion for storytelling extended beyond performance to writing, directing, and designing. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BA in screenwriting and an honors degree in media studies. Eager to master her craft behind the camera, Jamie earned her MFA in producing and directing from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
After completing her education, Jamie backpacked across the globe, skydiving and bungee jumping through Europe, New Zealand, and Fiji, and adventuring in the Outback, where she studied indigenous storytelling. She soon cut her teeth in Hollywood under Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown) and Justin Simien (Dear White People), directed and produced content for Disney-ABC, and produced music videos for renowned artists like Lady Gaga.
Jamie’s work has taken her across the globe, from Los Angeles to New York to London. She associate produced the film Miss You Already, starring Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette, and collaborated as a writer with Warner Brothers TV and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Sabrina, Riverdale). Jamie has also shared her knowledge and experience as an adjunct professor at USC. Fight on!
Jamie has written and directed five short films and four music videos, which have garnered over 6 million combined views. She recently directed the award-winning web series The Filth (now streaming on Revry) and produced the short film ¡Yo Soy Sally, La Loca!, featured at the 2022 NALIP Media Summit.
Today, Jamie’s protagonists––defiant, eccentric, witty underdogs––reflect her own journey through adversity. Her work champions strong, body-positive female characters, drawing from her personal battles with fitting in and fighting against societal norms. She attributes her voice to the challenges she’s overcome.
EDUCATION
MFA Film & TV Production, Directing & Producing
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS
BA Screenwriting, Summa Cum Laude & Disciplinary Honors Degree, Media Studies
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO
Study Abroad: National Cinemas of Post-Colonial Developing Nations
DEAKIN UNIVERSITY, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
AWARDS
Most Staffable Writer
HARVARDWOOD, 2024
Winner, Best Pilot
HARVARDWOOD TV WRITING COMPETITION, 2024
Alumna of the Year & Commencement Speaker